The Pennsylvania DEP solid waste permit application, known as Form A (2540-PM-BWM0357), is the core document that every person or company seeking to build or operate a municipal or residual waste facility must file with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. You file it whenever you want to run a landfill, transfer station, composting site, incinerator, or other waste processing facility in the state.
Getting Form A wrong is costly. The Solid Waste Management Act lets DEP reject an incomplete application, and operating a facility without a valid permit can bring penalties of up to $25,000 per day for each violation. With a new municipal waste landfill application fee set at $18,500 under 25 Pa. Code § 271.128, there is real money on the line before DEP even opens your file.
Here is what you will learn in this guide:
- 📋 What Form A is, who must file it, and which related forms travel with it
- 🗂️ The exact documents, IDs, and maps you need before you start
- ✍️ A line-by-line walkthrough of every major section of the application
- 💸 The current fees, filing channels, and bonding rules you must meet
- ⚠️ The most common mistakes that get applications rejected and how to dodge them
What Form A Is and Who Must File It
Form A is the master application form in DEP’s Municipal Waste Permit Forms package. It captures the basic facts about your facility, your company, and the type of permit you want. It does not stand alone. Form A is the cover application that ties together a stack of supporting forms, plans, and maps that DEP reviews as one package.
You must file Form A if you plan to own or operate a municipal or residual waste facility in Pennsylvania. This includes landfills, construction/demolition landfills, transfer stations, composting facilities, incinerators, resource recovery plants, and other processing sites. The legal duty to hold a permit comes from 25 Pa. Code § 271.101, which makes it unlawful to operate a municipal waste facility without a DEP permit.
The plain-English point is simple. If waste from the public or from industry comes to your site to be stored, sorted, burned, buried, or treated, you need a permit, and Form A starts that process. The consequence of skipping the permit is severe, since DEP can order the site closed and assess daily civil penalties under the Solid Waste Management Act. A common misconception is that small or temporary sites are exempt; in truth, only narrow categories like certain on-site generation or beneficial-use general permits avoid the full Form A track.
Several agencies and rules interact with Form A. DEP’s Bureau of Waste Management writes the rules, the regional DEP office receives and reviews your package, and the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act sets the floor that state rules build on. The host municipality and county also get notice, because local zoning and host agreements often run alongside the state permit.
Before You Start: Documents and Information You Need
Gather everything before you open the form. A missing document is the top reason DEP returns a package as administratively incomplete, which delays your review by weeks or months. Use this pre-filing checklist.
- Legal business name and entity records. DEP cross-checks your name against state corporate filings, and a mismatch stalls review.
- Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN). DEP ties your permit and bonding to this number, so an error links your file to the wrong entity.
- Facility location details. You need the street address, municipality, county, and GPS coordinates, because DEP maps every site and a wrong location voids public notice.
- Property deeds or lease documents. These prove you control the land, and without them DEP cannot confirm legal right to operate.
- A licensed Professional Engineer (PE). Many plans need a PE seal on Form B (2540-PM-BWM0358), and unsealed plans are rejected on sight.
- Compliance history records. You disclose past violations on Form C1 (2540-PM-BWM0351), and hidden violations can lead to denial for lack of good faith.
- Site maps and survey data. Phase I and Phase II map forms need accurate boundaries, and bad maps trigger a request for more information.
- The application fee check. DEP will not process the package without the correct nonrefundable fee made out to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
- Bonding worksheets and financial assurance. DEP requires a bond before operation, and missing financial assurance blocks permit issuance.
- Environmental assessment data. Form D (2540-PM-BWM0172) needs harms-and-benefits analysis, and weak data invites a public challenge.
Set aside time, since a full landfill application can run thousands of pages with engineering reports. Treat the checklist as a gate. If any item is missing, do not file yet, because a returned package costs more time than a short delay to gather records.
Where to Get the Form and How to Access It
You get Form A and every supporting form from DEP’s official eLibrary document system, which hosts the current version of each form. The forms also appear on the DEP Municipal Waste Permit Forms page, grouped into application forms, disposal approval forms, bonding worksheets, and financial bond forms. Always pull the form fresh rather than reusing an old copy.
Form A carries the document number 2540-PM-BWM0357. Check the revision date printed in the form’s footer against the version in eLibrary before you fill it out. DEP updates these packages over time, and an outdated form can be rejected because it lacks current fields or fee figures.
The application package is built from many pieces. The General Information Form (4700-PM-CEE0001) sits at the front, followed by Form A, then the lettered forms (B, C1, D, E, and so on) and numbered forms (Form 1 Facility Plan, Form 2 maps, and more) that apply to your facility type. For residual waste disposal at a landfill, operators also use Form U (2540-PM-BWM0395), which has an electronic version at DEPGreenPort for pre-authorized users.
If you are unsure which forms apply, request a pre-application meeting with your DEP regional office. This step is standard practice and helps you avoid filing the wrong forms. The regional office can also point you to the right bonding worksheet for your facility type.
Step-by-Step: How to Fill Out Form A Line by Line
Form A and its companion General Information Form ask for the same core facts in a fixed order. Complete every field, type or legibly print all answers, and never leave a box blank. Write N/A where a field does not apply, because a blank box looks like an oversight to a reviewer. Below is each major section with how to answer it.
Section 1: Applicant Name and Legal Status
This field asks who is applying for the permit in plain English: the legal person or company that will hold it. Enter the full legal name exactly as it appears on your state corporate registration or, for an individual, on a government ID. Use all capital letters where the form requests them, and spell out the entity type such as LLC or INC.
For example, KEYSTONE WASTE SERVICES LLC writes its name as registered with the Pennsylvania Department of State. If you operate under a fictitious or “doing business as” name, enter the registered legal entity first, then list the trade name where the form provides space. A common mistake here is entering a trade name instead of the legal entity, which causes DEP records to mismatch state corporate files and triggers an administrative hold. The misconception to drop is that the operator and the permittee are always the same; the permittee is the legal entity that holds the permit, even when a contractor runs the site.
Section 2: Contact Information and Mailing Address
This field asks where DEP should send official mail and who it should call. Enter the mailing address, phone number, and email for the person who can answer questions about the application. Format the address with the street, city, state, and ZIP, and use MM/DD/YYYY for any dates.
For example, Maria Lopez, Permit Manager, lists her direct phone and a monitored email so she never misses a DEP letter. If your mailing address is a P.O. Box, you may use it for mail, but you must still provide the physical facility location in the site section. A frequent error is listing a contact who has left the company, which means deadline notices go unread and DEP treats silence as nonresponse. Many filers wrongly believe email alone is enough; DEP still sends formal notices by mail, so the mailing address must be current.
Section 3: Facility Name and Location
This field asks for the facility’s name and exact site location. Enter the facility name, full street address, municipality, county, and GPS coordinates in decimal degrees. Be precise, because DEP maps the site for public notice and for distance checks to homes, wells, and streams.
For example, Marcus Bell enters SENECA RIDGE TRANSFER STATION, its address in Evans City, Butler County, and coordinates measured at the scale-house. If the site spans more than one municipality, list every municipality and county the footprint touches. A common mistake is using approximate coordinates pulled from a road map, which can place the site in the wrong municipality and void the required public notice. Filers often assume the mailing address and facility location are the same; for many landfills the office is miles from the actual disposal area, so the two differ.
Section 4: Type of Permit and Facility
This field asks what kind of permit and facility you want approved. Check the box for the facility type, such as municipal waste landfill, construction/demolition landfill, transfer facility, composting facility, or incinerator. Also mark whether you seek a new permit, a permit modification, a reissuance, or a renewal.
For example, Janet Cho checks Transfer Facility and New Permit for her company’s planned station. Your choice here drives both the fee and the supporting forms you must attach, so match it to your actual operation. A costly mistake is checking the wrong facility type, since it changes the fee and the required engineering forms and can force a complete refiling. People often think one application covers all activities at a site; in reality, separate facility types may need separate forms or even separate permits.
Section 5: Type of Application and Fee
This field asks whether the filing is a new permit, a major or minor modification, a reissuance, or a renewal, and it sets the fee. Match your selection to the fee schedule in 25 Pa. Code § 271.128 and attach a check payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The fee is nonrefundable, so confirm the amount twice.
For example, a new municipal waste landfill carries an $18,500 fee, a construction/demolition landfill $19,250, and a transfer facility $4,400. A major permit modification for a landfill runs $7,800, while a minor modification, reissuance, or renewal each costs $300. The most common mistake is sending the wrong fee amount, which makes the application administratively incomplete and stops the clock until you send the difference. Many filers assume the fee is refundable if denied; it is not, so an accurate first submission protects your money.
Section 6: Professional Certification (Form B)
This field asks a licensed Professional Engineer to certify the technical plans in the application. The PE signs and seals Form B (2540-PM-BWM0358), confirming the engineering work meets accepted standards. Enter the PE’s name, license number, and the date of the seal in MM/DD/YYYY format.
For example, David Reyes, P.E., License No. PE012345, seals the design plans for a new liner system. If the application uses an architect or geologist for parts of the work, those professionals certify their own sections under the related certification forms. A serious mistake is submitting engineering plans without a current PE seal, which DEP rejects because unsealed plans carry no professional accountability. Filers sometimes believe an in-house drafter can sign; only a licensed professional registered in Pennsylvania may certify the regulated plans.
Section 7: Compliance History (Form C1)
This field asks you to disclose your past environmental compliance record. On Form C1 (2540-PM-BWM0351), list violations, enforcement actions, and permit revocations tied to the applicant and related parties. Answer honestly and attach explanations where the form allows.
For example, Keystone Waste Services LLC reports a prior air permit violation, its resolution date, and the corrective steps taken. Disclosure covers parent companies, partners, and key people, not just the named applicant, so cast a wide net. The worst mistake here is hiding a violation, because DEP can deny the permit for lack of good faith and ability to comply once it finds the omission. A common misconception is that old or resolved violations need not appear; DEP wants the full history, and a resolved matter disclosed openly hurts far less than one concealed.
Section 8: Property Rights and Landowner Consent (Form E)
This field asks you to prove you have the legal right to use the land for the facility. Attach deeds, leases, or Form E (2540-PM-BWM0353), the contractual consent of landowner, when you do not own the site outright. Enter the owner’s name and the document reference that grants you use of the land.
For example, Marcus Bell attaches a signed lease and Form E from the landowner who owns the transfer station parcel. If multiple parcels make up the site, supply consent for each one, since a gap in property rights can shrink your approved footprint. A frequent mistake is omitting consent for an access road or buffer parcel, which can force a redesign of the site plan. Filers often assume a purchase agreement is enough; DEP wants recorded proof or signed consent that holds for the life of the permit.
Section 9: Environmental Assessment (Form D)
This field asks you to weigh the facility’s environmental harms against its benefits. Form D (2540-PM-BWM0172) documents impacts on water, air, soil, wildlife, and nearby communities, plus the steps you take to reduce them. Provide data, not just statements, and describe each mitigation measure.
For example, Janet Cho details traffic, noise, and dust controls for the transfer station and shows the net public benefit. The assessment must address known historic, cultural, and natural resources near the site, because unexamined resources draw public comment and DEP scrutiny. The big mistake is treating Form D as a formality with vague claims, which invites a request for more information and a longer review. People wrongly think benefits alone win approval; DEP must find that the harms do not outweigh the benefits, so honest mitigation matters more than promotion.
Section 10: Supporting Plans, Maps, and Bonding
This grouping asks for the technical backbone of the application: facility plans, maps, and financial assurance. Attach the numbered forms that fit your facility, such as Form 1 Facility Plan (2540-PM-BWM0170), Form 2 Map Requirement Phase I (2540-PM-BWM0173), and the matching bonding worksheet for your facility type. Label every map with scale, date, and north arrow.
For example, a landfill applicant attaches geological and hydrogeological forms, liner and leachate plans, and a closure and post-closure land use plan. The bonding amount comes from the worksheet for your facility type, and DEP will not let the site operate until the bond is posted. A common mistake is submitting maps without a proper scale or boundary, which delays review while DEP asks for corrections. Filers sometimes assume bonding comes after approval; the financial assurance must be in place before DEP issues the permit, so plan the cash or surety early.
Three Filled-Out Examples Using Real Scenarios
These three named scenarios show how different filers complete the core sections of Form A. Each follows one applicant through the most important fields from start to finish.
Scenario 1: Marcus Bell files for a new municipal waste transfer station.
| Form Section | What Marcus Enters |
|---|---|
| Applicant Name and Legal Status | SENECA RIDGE HOLDINGS LLC |
| Contact Information | Marcus Bell, Owner, with direct phone and monitored email |
| Facility Name and Location | SENECA RIDGE TRANSFER STATION, Evans City, Butler County, with GPS coordinates |
| Type of Permit and Facility | Transfer Facility, New Permit |
| Type of Application and Fee | New permit, $4,400 check to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
| Professional Certification (Form B) | David Reyes, P.E., License No. PE012345, sealed plans |
| Compliance History (Form C1) | None for the new entity, with key-person history disclosed |
| Property Rights (Form E) | Signed lease and landowner consent for the parcel |
| Environmental Assessment (Form D) | Traffic, dust, and noise controls with net benefit shown |
Scenario 2: Maria Lopez files a permit renewal for an operating composting facility.
| Form Section | What Maria Enters |
|---|---|
| Applicant Name and Legal Status | GREEN VALLEY COMPOST INC |
| Contact Information | Maria Lopez, Permit Manager, current mailing address |
| Facility Name and Location | GREEN VALLEY COMPOST SITE, with existing permit number |
| Type of Permit and Facility | Composting Facility, Permit Renewal |
| Type of Application and Fee | Renewal, $300 check to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |
| Professional Certification (Form B) | PE seal on any updated plans |
| Compliance History (Form C1) | Full history for the current permit term |
| Property Rights (Form E) | Deed showing continued ownership |
| Supporting Plans | Updated operation plan and current bonding |
Scenario 3: Janet Cho files a major modification to add a new waste type at a landfill.
| Form Section | What Janet Enters |
|---|---|
| Applicant Name and Legal Status | KEYSTONE WASTE SERVICES LLC |
| Contact Information | Janet Cho, Compliance Director, monitored email and phone |
| Facility Name and Location | KEYSTONE REGIONAL LANDFILL, with permit number and coordinates |
| Type of Permit and Facility | Municipal Waste Landfill, Permit Modification |
| Type of Application and Fee | Major modification, $7,800 check, or $300 if only adding a waste type |
| Professional Certification (Form B) | PE seal on revised design sections |
| Compliance History (Form C1) | Updated history since last filing |
| Environmental Assessment (Form D) | Updated harms-and-benefits for the new waste type |
| Waste Analysis (Form R) | Classification data for the new waste stream |
How to File the Completed Form
You submit the finished Form A package to the DEP regional office that covers the county where your facility sits. The cover General Information Form lists the regional offices and their addresses, so confirm the correct one before you ship. For complex applications, schedule a pre-submission meeting first, which the Municipal Waste Permitting program encourages.
Filing by mail or courier. Send the complete paper package, including all forms, plans, maps, and the fee check, to the regional office. Use a trackable courier so you have proof of delivery. Keep a full copy of everything you send, because that copy is your record if a page goes missing.
Filing in person. You may hand-deliver the package to the regional office during business hours. Ask the front desk to date-stamp your transmittal letter as proof of filing. This is useful when a deadline is close and you want a same-day record.
Fee and payment. The fee is a nonrefundable check payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the amount set by 25 Pa. Code § 271.128. DEP does not process the application until the correct fee arrives, so confirm the figure for your facility type and application type. Staple or clip the check to the front of the package as instructed.
Electronic disposal approvals. For residual waste disposal at a landfill, operators can use the electronic Form U at DEPGreenPort once they have a pre-authorized username and password. This is a disposal approval channel and does not replace the paper Form A permit application. Keep your delivery receipt, date-stamped transmittal, or DEPGreenPort confirmation as your proof of filing.
What Happens After You File
DEP first runs an administrative completeness check. A reviewer confirms that every required form, the fee, and the signatures are present. If anything is missing, DEP returns the package or issues a deficiency letter, and the review clock does not truly start until the package is complete.
Once the package is complete, DEP begins technical review of your plans, maps, and environmental assessment. The agency may send one or more requests for more information, and your written responses become part of the record. Public notice and a comment period also run during this stage, and for many facilities a public hearing follows, especially when neighbors raise concerns.
The timeline varies widely by facility type. A $300 renewal moves faster than a new landfill that involves thousands of pages and multiple review rounds. Stay responsive, since slow replies to information requests are a leading cause of long delays. At the end, DEP either issues the permit with conditions or denies it in writing, and you may appeal a denial to the Environmental Hearing Board within the stated deadline.
Mistakes to Avoid When Filling Out the Form
Each mistake below has stopped real applications. Read them before you file.
- Sending the wrong fee. The package is administratively incomplete and the review clock stops until you pay the difference.
- Using an outdated form version. DEP can reject the filing because it lacks current fields and fee figures.
- Leaving boxes blank. Reviewers read a blank as an oversight and return the package for completion.
- Entering a trade name as the applicant. DEP records mismatch state corporate files and trigger a hold.
- Listing a stale contact. Deadline notices go unread, and DEP treats silence as nonresponse.
- Using approximate GPS coordinates. The site can land in the wrong municipality and void the public notice.
- Filing plans without a PE seal. Unsealed engineering plans are rejected on sight.
- Hiding past violations on Form C1. DEP can deny the permit for lack of good faith once it finds the omission.
- Skipping landowner consent for a parcel. A gap in property rights shrinks your approved footprint.
- Treating Form D as a formality. Vague impact claims draw a request for more information and a longer review.
- Forgetting bonding before issuance. Without financial assurance in place, DEP will not let the site operate.
- Misreading new versus modification. The wrong choice sets the wrong fee and the wrong supporting forms.
Do’s and Don’ts
Follow these habits to keep your application moving.
Do:
- Pull each form fresh from eLibrary, because old copies may be out of date.
- Confirm the fee against the current schedule, since the fee is nonrefundable.
- Hold a pre-application meeting, because it tells you which forms apply.
- Keep a full copy of the package, since it is your record if a page is lost.
- Answer every field, because blanks read as oversights.
- Respond fast to information requests, since slow replies stall review.
Don’t:
- Don’t reuse coordinates from a road map, because precision drives public notice.
- Don’t omit related-party violations, since DEP reviews the full history.
- Don’t submit unsealed plans, because they carry no professional accountability.
- Don’t assume the fee is refundable, since it is not even if DEP denies the permit.
- Don’t skip the bonding worksheet, because financial assurance gates issuance.
- Don’t ignore the host municipality, since local approvals run alongside the state permit.
Pros and Cons of Filing on Your Own vs. With Help
Many applicants weigh handling the package in-house against hiring engineers and environmental consultants. Here is how the two paths compare.
Pros of filing with professional help:
- A PE and consultant know which forms apply, which cuts rejection risk.
- Sealed, accurate plans clear technical review faster.
- Experts anticipate DEP information requests and answer them well.
- Strong environmental assessments reduce public-comment friction.
- A consultant tracks deadlines so notices never lapse.
Cons of filing with professional help:
- Consultant and engineering fees add real cost on top of the DEP fee.
- You depend on a third party’s schedule, which can slow internal control.
- Coordination across multiple experts adds management overhead.
- You may still need in-house staff to gather company records.
- Quality varies, so a weak consultant can hurt more than help.
FAQs
Do I have to file Form A to run a small transfer station?
Yes. A transfer facility needs a municipal waste permit, and Form A is the application that starts that process with your DEP regional office.
Is the application fee refundable if DEP denies my permit?
No. The fee under 25 Pa. Code § 271.128 is nonrefundable, so confirm the correct amount before you send the check to the Commonwealth.
Do I write the trade name or the legal entity in the applicant box?
No, do not lead with the trade name. Enter the full legal entity as registered with the state first, then list the trade name where the form allows.
Do I need a Professional Engineer to sign the application?
Yes. A licensed PE must seal the technical plans on Form B, because DEP rejects engineering plans that lack a current professional seal.
Do I list old, resolved violations on the compliance history form?
Yes. Form C1 wants your full history, and an openly disclosed resolved matter hurts far less than a concealed one DEP later finds.
Do I use my mailing address in the facility location box?
No. The location box needs the physical site address and GPS coordinates, which often differ from the mailing or office address.
Is a new municipal waste landfill fee really $18,500?
Yes. The fee is $18,500 for a new municipal waste landfill and $19,250 for a construction/demolition landfill under the current fee schedule.
Do I need bonding before DEP issues the permit?
Yes. Financial assurance from the proper bonding worksheet must be in place before operation, so arrange the bond or surety early.
Can I file the whole Form A package online?
No. The full permit application goes to the regional office by mail or in person, though residual waste disposal approvals use the electronic Form U at DEPGreenPort.
Do I check “new permit” when adding a waste type to my landfill?
No. Adding a waste type is a permit modification, often a $300 fee for added waste types, not a new permit application.
Is a pre-application meeting with DEP required?
No, it is not strictly required, but DEP strongly encourages it because it tells you which forms and plans your facility needs.
Do I need landowner consent if I lease the site?
Yes. Attach Form E or a signed lease, since DEP must confirm you hold the legal right to use every parcel for the permit’s life.
Can I appeal if DEP denies my application?
Yes. You may appeal a written denial to the Environmental Hearing Board within the deadline stated in the denial letter.
Do related companies’ violations count on my compliance history?
Yes. Disclosure covers parent companies, partners, and key people, not just the named applicant, so report the full related-party record.
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